Ah, collagen supplements, the new talk of the town among dietitians, nutritionists, dermatologists, beauty enthusiasts, media websites, and skincare fanatics. These incredible little collagen pills, collagen capsules, and collagen powders can help with everything from sore joints to sagging and wrinkled skin. But, what are collagen peptides? How do they support our body? And, with so many on the market today, how do we choose the best collagen supplements for our individual needs? Luckily for you, we're here to answer all of your collagen questions! Read on to find out more about collagen skin care and how it can help you look and feel like a million bucks! What Is Collagen? Collagen is a protein found in the connective tissues of your body. It can help you achieve a taut skin tone, support skin elasticity and keep the skin supple and firm. It plays a key role in your overall health—from supporting skin health to preventing joint health, and even promoting bone health and gut health, collagen protein is a must-have when it comes to wellness and beauty. Your body naturally produces the collagen it needs when you're young but natural collagen production starts to decline when we get older, at about the age of 30. This natural collagen production decline results in aging skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and a loss of firmness and elasticity, as well as potential joint pain due to the lack of support for the connective tissue. More helpful reading: https://www.renewalliance.com/blogs/i/collagen-definition Where Taking Collagen Supplements Started... From collagen powders to bone broth, taking collagen products has become all the rage. But, collagen supplementation isn't new. The concept of consuming collagen supplements for skin and helping people achieve their beauty goals originates from Japan and is now catching the attention of celebrities and beauty editors in the US and Europe. Now, collagen protein capsules, powders, and liquid collagen drinks are available everywhere, even in the grocery store... But, not all types of collagen supplements are created equal. In fact, while some supplements may be amazing for your health and wellness, others could do more harm than good! More helpful reading: How to increase collagen The Potential Benefits of Collagen Supplements: Yes, They Do Reverse Aging! Collagen supplements may offer a wealth of potential health benefits, one of which is that they're like an elixir of youth and beauty. Yep, you read that correctly! These collagen products can actually make you look and feel years younger. Here are some of the health benefits of collagen supplements: Reduce fine lines and wrinkles Support skin elasticity, reduce sagging skin, and get rid of jowls Improve hydration and skin firmness Restore your radiance and give you the glow you miss Heal acne and scars Help get rid of cellulite and stretch marks Supplements may reduce joint pain Support to the bones More helpful reading by RenewSkin Inc.: How to plump skin Choosing the Right Brand Is Vital to Your Health With so many skincare brands and types to choose from, how do you choose an effective clinically-studied collagen peptide supplement that will reverse the aging of your skin and help you on your way to reaching your beauty goals? If you do not choose the right collagen, unhealthy sugars and preservatives can cause even more damage to your skin and health! You also need to opt for a non GMO variety to ensure that you don't experience any potential adverse side effects in the future. Read our 7 tips to learn how you can unlock your youthful beauty with a trusted clinically studied collagen supplement. More helpful reading: https://www.renewalliance.com/blogs/i/is-sugar-bad-for-your-skin How to Choose the Best Collagen Supplements Here are 7 vital tips for choosing the best product for your skin. Types of Collagen and Which One is Best for Your Skin Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplement vs Amino Acids How Much Collagen Should You Take to Reverse Aging? The Best Ingredients You Should Look for in a Great Collagen Supplement Common Types of Sugars and Preservatives Used How to Choose the Best Source of Collagen Should You Take Powder, Pills or Liquid for the Best Results? 1. Types of Collagen and Which Collagen is Best For Your Skin There are 28 types of collagen in the body, but Type 1 is the most abundant form. Different types are better for different parts of your body. Here are three of the most important ones: Type 1 Collagen Type 1 collagen is considered to be the key building block of your skin cells which makes up about 80% of the dermis layer of the skin. This type of collagen skin is stronger than steel by weight and with its triple-helix design it can improve skin health, structure, firmness and also support healthy, stronger skin hair and nails. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the best collagen treatment for your skin should contain mainly Type 1. That's why we like to call this type of collagen "beauty collagen". More helpful reading: Can men take collagen? Type 2 Collagen The best collagen vitamins for joint health and to support the bones contain Type 2, which makes up about 50% of the building blocks of our connective tissue, for example, cartilage protein, bones, tendons, ligaments, and so on. As you get older and your levels drop, the cartilage in your body is weakened and stops regenerating. Those who play sports or exercise vigorously may suffer from joint pain even earlier in life. When it comes to collagen for joints, type 2 collagen supplements for joints may stimulate collagen synthesis and are commonly used to treat aging joints and bones, as well as support our connective tissue, and relieve the body from pain associated with arthritis. More helpful reading: https://www.renewalliance.com/blogs/i/type-2-collagen Type 3 Collagen Type 3 collagen is also important to the health of the skin hair, and nails. It is the second most abundant collagen in human tissue and is more pliable than Type 1. Babies and children have a lot of Type 3, which is why their skin is so soft and plump. As you age, Type 3 is gradually replaced by Type 1. For optimal skin hair, and nail health, look for collagen supplements that contain at least 90% Type 1 collagen and some Type 3 to achieve that baby smooth complexion. More helpful reading: What are ceramides? 2. Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplement vs Amino Acids and Bio-Availability The problem with collagen molecules is that in their native state they are simply too large for our body to absorb efficiently—unless they’ve been transformed into hydrolyzed collagen supplements. Hydrolyzed collagen is a processed form that is obtained when collagen fibers are broken down into small chains of amino acids called "collagen peptides" through a process using a combination of enzymes and high-pressure steam known as "hydrolysis". This revolutionary technology was invented and patented by a Japanese company some years ago and enables these collagen peptides, which are much smaller in size than the original collagen molecule, to efficiently deliver small, usable peptides into our body. Clinical studies show that this type of collagen hydrolysate supplement gets absorbed into the bloodstream and blood vessels, penetrates and remain in the dermis, and triggers production in the skin. See Clinical Studies. More helpful reading: best ingredient for anti aging Read the Labels Carefully! There are many brands that claim their collagen supplement contains this type of highly absorbable collagen, especially the less expensive products. In actual fact, they do not contain collagen. Instead, they are predominantly made up of 3 amino acids Proline, Glycine, and Hydroxyproline, which together represent about 50% of the total amino acid content of the collagen triple helix chain. These products also lack other minor but important amino acids necessary to construct a complete molecule helix chain. You need up to 18 different amino acids in the right quantities and ratio to create a collagen molecule in the body. By comparison, taking collagen supplements that contain collagen peptides is more effective because they contain a complete amino acid sequence as a peptide that can be readily absorbed and transported to the dermis of the skin, thus contributing to that glowing complexion that you've been longing for. If you want a true supplement that works for your skin and body, look for one that contains Type 1 Collagen (peptides) with high bio-availability. More helpful reading: The effects of alcohol on skin by RenewSkin Inc. 3. How Much Collagen Should You Take to Reverse Aging? There are multiple clinical studies that confirm ingesting a high concentration of collagen peptides helps to increase skin thickness, reduce wrinkles, improve the appearance of stretch marks, and of course, enhance beauty. Can you get rid of stretch marks? RenewSkin Inc. explains. Many of these studies were based on the consumption of 10,000mg of hydrolyzed collagen proteins per day over a period of 6-8 weeks. More helpful reading: How much collagen per day? In Comes Taut's Advanced Formula... Taut® Premium Collagen Advanced Formula Drink contains high potency 13,000mg of premium marine peptides per 1.7 oz serving—90% of which is Type 1 and 10% of which is Type 3. This is the highest concentration of hydrolyzed peptides per serving currently available on the market. By comparison, Taut® contains approximately 2 to 6 times the concentration of other liquid collagen drinks and collagen peptide supplements available. The high dose of collagen hydrolysate in Taut Collagen triggers our body's 'wound repair' response—a process that identifies and repairs damaged collagen in the dermis by stimulating the growth of new collagen. Taking collagen proteins, especially high potency supplements, can stimulate the production of new skin cells and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles while providing other benefits to the body. More helpful reading: best collagen drink We Let Science Do the Talking Our collagen supplements have been tried and tested by hundreds of satisfied customers across the globe. The graph below shows before and after ultra-sound images of a 60-year-old woman’s cheek during an 8-week clinical study. She drank one 1.7 oz. bottle of Taut® every night for the first eight nights, then one bottle every other night for the remainder of the study. You can see that after 8 weeks, her skin appears smoother with a denser structure in her dermis (the yellowish-orange areas) than before by drinking the Taut Collagen Supplement. More helpful reading: Skincare trends How Much Collagen Do You Need To See Results: If you are taking collagen to help with your aging skin, make sure to pay attention to the concentration per serving (minimum 10,000mg) if you want to see visible results—reduced fine lines and wrinkles or improved firmness and fullness. Many clinical studies have been carried out with participants who consumed at least 10,000mg per day over a period of 8-10 weeks. And the results show collagen peptides help to increase skin thickness, improve hydration and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. For younger adults (under 35) or for older adults on maintenance, a lower daily concentration between 2,500mg and 5,000mg is typically sufficient. Collagen can also be paired with other collagen-building skincare ingredients, such as retinol. Learn more about the benefits of retinol here. More helpful reading: best way to tighten skin above knees 4. The Best Ingredients You Should Look For in a Great Collagen Supplement Our dermis is made up of more than 80% Type 1 collagen and 15% Type 3 Collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Together, these 3 elements are the key components of the extracellular matrix which gives our skin its structure, elasticity, and firmness. Taking collagen supplements on their own will have a positive effect, but the most powerful benefits come from consuming a beauty supplement that contains a synergistic formulation of these three key components with other anti-aging ingredients designed to support firmer, smoother, and younger skin. In addition to hydrolyzed marine collagen, key active ingredients in the Taut® collagen drink are elastin, hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, ceramide, vitamin C, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). These complementary ingredients maximize the absorption of collagen as well as provide powerful and effective anti-aging benefits: reduced fine lines and wrinkles, increased hydration and firmness, and protecting your skin from free radical damage. Always make sure that any claims regarding the efficacy of a supplement are backed by science. Multiple journal-published research trials conducted in Japan, the United States, and Europe prove that the key active ingredients used in the Taut® Collagen Supplement Drink are effective. More helpful reading on plant-based skincare ingredients: https://www.renewalliance.com/blogs/i/5-essential-oils-for-beautiful-clear-skin What About Collagen Rich Foods? Many dietitians, nutritionists, and health experts from across the world claim that eating collagen rich foods boosts our natural collagen production. They may even put you on a collagen diet supplement or ask you to supplement collagen for bone broth. Learn more about a collagen diet from RenewSkin Inc. While the jury is still out on this, the key is to combine these foods and your collagen dietary supplements with the right ingredients. That's where vitamin C comes in. When it comes to healthy collagen production, vitamin C is a must have in the diet. This is because vitamin C is a co-factor of collagen, meaning it can actually boost collagen production. Vitamin C also has some fantastic wound healing properties. In other words, say goodbye to acne scars and hello to beautiful, glowing skin! More helpful reading: What is gelatin made of? 5. Common Types of Sugars and Preservatives Used From organic collagen powder to pills and drinks, supplements come in just about any form you desire. Some organic supplements may be taken on their own, while others have a plain taste and can be added to food and beverages. On its own, collagen tends to have a strong aftertaste, which is why sugars, sweeteners, or fruit juice are often added to formulations to improve taste. To find the best product without sacrificing taste, choose a supplement containing a healthy sweetener rather than a form of sugar that is detrimental to your health. Unfortunately, many collagen brands still contain unhealthy sugars such as fructose or high fructose corn syrup, and it is often the second or third ingredient because it is cheap and masks the poor quality and taste of the collagen ingredient. When choosing your preferred supplement, you also need to watch out for artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose in your collagen, which can cause long-term health issues. Artificial sweeteners are used to provide sweetness without calories. According to a recent research review published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Critical Reviews, Sucralose has been found to cause a variety of harmful biological side effects in the body. So, what types of sweeteners should you look for in a collagen powder or drink? According to health officials, the best type of sweetener to use is one that is natural and plant-based, with a low Glycemic Index ("GI"). Some good options include: Palm sugar Coconut sugar Raw honey Molasses Stevia If you are taking collagen peptide supplements daily to improve the appearance of your skin, do yourself a favor by taking a collagen product that contains a healthy form of sugar and no preservatives. Other Skin-Killing Ingredients to Avoid Unfortunately, the quest for choosing the best collagen supplements doesn't stop at simply avoiding sugar and unhealthy alternatives. Some brands also add harmful chemicals such as additives, artificial colors and flavors, as well as hydrogenated oils. Some even contain high amounts of lead, mercury, and PCBs. All of these ingredients will increase your toxic load, contributing to future illness and disease. At Taut, we're extremely proud to say that we only use collagen sourced from wild-caught fish, reducing the risk of contaminants such as heavy metals. We also undergo the most rigorous testing to ensure that we only provide our customers with the highest quality collagen supplements possible. 6. How to Choose the Best Source of Collagen The four main sources of collagen found in supplements are bovine collagen (cow), porcine collagen (pig), chicken collagen, preferably grass fed, and marine (fish) collagen. Grass fed porcine, bovine, and chicken collagen can be made by boiling the bones of the animal to create bone broth. Your dietitian nutritionist will tell you all of the benefits of bone broth sourced from grass fed animals—from improving gut health to restoring body protein, supporting the bones and our body's building blocks such as connective tissues, the health benefits are clear. But, this type of bone broth just won't provide you with the same beauty enhancing benefits as marine collagen proteins. Of course, you can create a grass fed porcine, bovine, chicken fish mix for your broth but, when it comes down to it, the best collagen peptides supplements (drinks or powders) are made of marine collagen extracted from fish because it is the purest and safest form and the optimum size for maximum absorption. Why Is Marine Collagen Superior? Unlike grass fed porcine or bovine collagen, Marine collagen extracted from fish parts is the purest and safest form of collagen for supplements. It has more than 90% bio-availability which means it gets easily absorbed into your bloodstream and blood vessels, and penetrates more efficiently into the dermis of your skin which helps to improve skin tone, skin elasticity, and keep it wrinkle-free. While harvesting from marine sources is more costly, the end result is a product that is much purer and that comes with far more health benefits, especially in comparison to cheaper bovine and porcine collagen products sourced from the byproducts of slaughterhouses. Marine collagen that is extracted from cold-water fish has up to 1.5 times higher bio-availability than porcine or bovine collagen bone broth. Beware of products manufactured in China and other countries with loose manufacturing controls and standards. Aside from being packed with harmful chemicals and additives, many of these products are not made from grass fed pasture raised animals or fresh water fish. Learn how our Taut Advanced Formula is manufactured and get more health information here. Taut® Premium Collagen Drink is made with 100%, non GMO, marine collagen, sourced from red snapper, a deep-water fish wild-caught in the Indian Ocean. The collagen is the most premium grade available, processed from scales only (no skin) by the same Japanese company that invented and patented the hydrolysis process. This company uses environmentally friendly production that is ISO-9001 certified, which guarantees the highest degree of purity and effectiveness. Taut® Premium Collagen Supplement for skin is chemical-free, allergen-free, and BSE-TSE free. It contains no pig, bovine, or chicken collagen. 7. Should You Take Powder, Pills, or Liquid for the Best Results? The collagen protein powder vs. pills debate is never-ending, but the truth of the matter is that neither collagen pills or powder are the best form of collagen supplements. While consuming collagen by popping hydrolyzed collagen pills for skin health on a daily basis may seem more convenient, the best way to take collagen is via a liquid supplement, that is, a collagen drink. If you’re concerned with liquid collagen supplements having a poor taste or flaring up your gag reflex, fear not—collagen drinks have come a long way since their inception. Not only do they taste great, but they are also highly concentrated, so a small dosage will provide you with all of the goodness you need to reap the benefits. The bio-availability of a collagen supplement—the percentage of the substance that is actually absorbed into your body when ingested—is another critical factor to consider when evaluating collagen supplements. Bio-availability largely determines the efficacy of any nutrient you ingest. Nutrients that are highly bio-available can be digested and absorbed at a high percentage. When nutrients are in liquid form, they are already essentially predigested and thus can provide the highest possible absorption rate of nutrients into the body, giving your body's building blocks the support they need to stay healthy for longer. Tablets or powders cannot match the level of absorption that liquid collagen drinks offer. What’s more, even the best pills contain little collagen, so you would need to swallow at least 10 to 20 large tablets every day in order to obtain the level of essential nutrients and collagen proteins required to achieve visible results. Tablets are also more difficult to digest and assimilate into the body, so they are only partially absorbed. Collagen powder needs to be mixed with water or juice. Powder that contains collagen from a bovine source may have a strong taste and hence need to be sweetened as well. In conclusion, collagen drinks are preferable over pills and powder because they are more convenient and more effective. Liquid collagen supplements are less common, and they are pricier than pills and collagen powder. This is due to the proprietary technology and additional steps required to produce a high potency, high-quality collagen in liquid form. Now you know what to look out for while shopping for your skin! How long does it take collagen peptides to work? RenewSkin Inc. explains. Achieve More Youthful Skin With Our Intense Transformation Program Looking for a way to achieve a more radiant and youthful complexion? You'll be happy to hear that your search is over thanks to our Taut Premium Collagen Intense Transformation! Comprised of three boxes of our Taut Premium Collagen Advanced Formula, the Intense Transformation Program is great for anyone that's truly in it for the long haul when it comes to their skin. Designed to dramatically reverse the signs of aging in order to help you transform your skin, our program will provide you with noticeable results within just 21 days. Start enjoying firmer, fuller skin and reduced wrinkles and fine lines with Taut! Hear Is What Customers Have to Say: Wonderful product! I noticed my skin is not sagging and looking and feeling fuller with Taut collagen drinks. It's pretty amazing My skin looks amazing, and I swear my cheeks look fuller/firmer. Amazing!!!! I noticed a difference after 1 week :) I will definitely continue to order. The taste is great unlike most products. Thank you Taut ♥️ 100% Satisfied Bright and Firm Unbelievable!! I just barely finished the first 3 boxes of Taut Collagen and 1 box of Bye-Bye Dark Spots. After 3 weeks my skin appears firmer and brighter, my dark spot is not totally gone but it has become lighter. I will reorder again and again to keep up my youthful look.😊 Read More Reviews See More Before and After Pictures More Helpful Health Information You May Find Useful: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-28396/will-taking-a-collagen-supplement-really-transform-my-skin.html